For a long time the Grand Dukes of Lithuania adhered to the principle “Do not disturb the old, do not introduce the new.” But the royal court, administration and army demanded large expenditures, and the state treasury was empty. Especially low revenues came from Russian lands, where the development of agriculture was hampered by forests and swamps. Therefore, unexpectedly for themselves, the peasants of certain villages of the Glusk estate found themselves participants in a grand economic experiment.

“We want to have falwarcs…”

The first known agrarian reform in Belarusian lands began on 1 April 1557, when the Grand Duke of Lithuania and Polish king Sigismund II Augustus signed the “Statute on the Voloch.” This decisive document provided for the creation of falwarcs (private noble or state estates

The decision to convert peasants to serfdom began under King Sigismund III Vasa. In 1611 a special plan called the “Babruk Charter” was drafted for the Babruk eldership. Taking into account the experience gained in Babruk, they began converting peasants from other state and later private estates within Belarus and Ukraine to serfdom. And while the residents of the Babruk eldership, as the first in this matter, had some privileges and relaxations, the other Belarusian villagers had no such opportunity.

What was so special about the “Babruk Charter”? It was carried out cautiously, thoughtfully, and slowly: the process stretched over 28 years with interruptions during wartime. The king personally addressed the peasants in

Such upheavals

Initially, the Babruysk eldership counted 32 families with friends—neighbors who helped with work and had the right to their share of income and property. In the inventories from 1652 the friendly families are no longer mentioned: now the households were run by single-peasant owners. Village self‑government lost its significance: public meetings could take place only with the authority's permission and with its participation. The “Babruysk Statute” ordered that all arriving people be reported, not accepted, and not allowed to stay in the village for more than three days. The ordinary life of the community was disrupted.

But the state and the lords realized that maintaining this rural organization could be very useful to them. At that time the community was responsible only for fulfilling obligations and collecting payments common to all its members: road and bridge repairs, rent payments, military and other levies. Now it was made responsible also for the fulfillment of each member's obligations.

Mutual assistance among peasant community members manifested itself in various cases. First and foremost, this was a mortal danger to a person or animal, natural disasters, and other misfortunes. Also, family events (christenings, weddings, and housewarming parties). This was a kind of mutual insurance against unfortunate events: today you help someone, tomorrow they won't leave you in trouble.

Many community customs have been preserved to this day. For example, people still remember talaka: they performed difficult and long work together in turns (for example, digging up potatoes). They would visit each other with a bonda, treating neighbors and relatives to products they had in abundance. They would visit a woman in childbirth, bringing her gifts, and if needed, helping her with household chores.

Although friends in joint ownership were not mentioned in the inventories, this phenomenon did not disappear but acquired a new meaning. Gradually, a so-called friendship in the form of joint ownership of property emerged, for example, beehives or offspring from animals given as a wedding gift. Friendship was based on mutual support and agreement, and disputes and quarrels between friends were considered a great shame. Helping a friend in trouble was a sacred duty, and they were treated better than relatives: "Many of one's own, but the devil take them, and a friend is a godsend!" And this law of grandfathers and great-grandfathers had greater significance in the consciousness of peasants than all legal documents and government orders.

Photo from open internet sources A. Yemelyanau